Gear shifting mechanism



Feb. 15, 1938. J'. A. MCDANIEL GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1933 Feb. 15, 1938.

J, A. MCDANIEL 2,108,264

GEAR SHIFTING MECHANI SM Filed Aug. 9, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheen'I 2 Ww a, www

Hot ne LI' Feb. 15, 1938.

J. A. MCDANIEL 2,108,264

Filed Aug. 9, 1953 Paientedvehlg, 1.938 I l v 2,108,264 GEAR snm'rlNG MEcnAmsM James A. McDaniel, Memphis,v Tenn.

. Application August 9,

i My invention relates to gear shifting' mecha.- nism and it is an object of the same to provide for simplev and effective means to effect such shifting, as for example in motor vehicles, wherein the gear shift lever may be dispensed with or -may be carried in some out of the way place for use in case of emergency.

It is an object of the invention to provide means of this character which shall be easily,

applied to cars of standard make Without interfering with the operation of the motor or the car and without requiring 'any change of design. It can easilybe attached to a motor vehicle by a person of ordinary skill, since all that is necessary is to drill a hole in the intakeA manifold with proper care and in the right place and to attach additional operating rods to the sliding rods now in use in the transmission, and also to attach such brackets and fixtures as are necessary for holding the parts in place. It can be used on any motor vehicle having the so-called standard transmission. If the operator d'oes.

not wish to use the device he can simply return the shifting lever to usual position and utilize it without respect to the device of my invention; in

other words, it is a purely optional device and is A similar in this respect to the free wheeling attachments now in common use.

Referring to the drawings, which are made a part of this application and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of my invention,

Fig. 2, a plan thereof,

Fig. 3, a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4, a plan of the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, showing parts of my invention,

Figs. 5 and 5a sections of an accelerator valve forming part of my invention and showing two different positions thereof,

Figs. 6, Gal, '1 and 8 details of the drivers control valve under the hood, n

Fig. 9, va longitudinal section of a piston and its casing, taken on line 9-9 of Fig. l,

Fig. 10, a horizontal section of a piston forma ing part of the gear-shifting devices, coacting parts beingshown in plan,

Fig. 11, a detail of parts in Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale,

Figs. 12 to 15, details of the gear selector valve, here shown as under the rear seat, and

Figs. 16 and 17, details of locking-members.

In the drawings, reference character 20 indicatesthe intake manifold of a motor vehicle, which manifold is connected to pistons in casings 2l, 22 for actuating them so as to shift the gears, e. g., of a standard gear transmission with standard `shifting means such as shown at 23. A drivers control valve 24 is arranged to be set by the driver to predetermine the direction and 193s, sei-iai No. 684,449

f, 16 claims. (c1. .r4- 412i characterI of shifting, an accelerator valve 25 `determines when the shifting operation shall take place, and a gear selector valve 26 locks .the gears in shifted position. While the device is described as vacuum-operated, as a matter of convenience, it is of course mainly operated by the normal atmospheric pressure acting on the side of the piston opposite to that from which air is exhausted tothe intake manifold.

The drivers control. valve which are ports 32, 32a, 32h, 32e, 3211,'321, 32a,

32h, 327', 32k arranged in pairs, the ports of each pair being connected by passages 33 (Fig. 6a).

'By rotating plate 28 different pairs of the ports 34-48 in plate 21 may be connected for predetermining the action of the gear-shifting mechanism. For setting the plate 28 in desired position I have provided means comprising a quadrant 4I on the usual steering wheel 42, this quadrant being marked N for neutral, G for gearshift for forward speeds and R for reverse. An indicating finger 43 coacting with said quadrant is fixed to a rod 44 extending down through thev steering column 45 and is provided at its lower end with a pinion 46 meshing with a pinion 41 on 'an upright shaft 48 having an arm 48' (Fig. 2) connected by a link 49 to a stud 50 on plate 28 by means of a ball and socket joint.

'I'he manifold is connected by pipes 5I, 52, to the port 35 on the fixed plate 21. Port 34 leads to a pipe 53, whose functions are hereinafter described. Port 35 leads to the intake manifold by way of pipe 52. Port 36 leads to pipe 54 which is connected to the gear selector valve. Port 31 is an air intake opening used in connection with the operation of shifting to third gear. Port 38 leads to pipe 55 which controls the selector valve for shifting to first and second gear. Port 39 is connected to pipe 56 which is the main vacuum line from the foot-operated accelerator valve hereinafter described. Port 40 leads to pipe 51 which controls the reverse movement.

The accelerator valve and a transverse passage 66 and the casing has four ports oi which that at 61 is merely an air intake opening, whereby also the vacuum may be broken at suitabletimes in the piston casings 2| and 22 as hereinafter set forth. The next port, reading clockwise in Figs. 5 and 5a, is connected to a pipe 56 leading to the drivers control valve at' port 39 on plate 21. The next port is connected to the main vacuum line at the intake manifold by a pipe 69. The last port is connected to pipe 68 which is the return line for controlling the means ,for putting gears out of mesh. It Will be seen that in the On position of Fig. 5 the return line 68 is open to air through port 61 and recess 64 while the main vacuum line is connected to the drivers control valve through passage 66, whereas in the OH position of Fig. 5a the main vacuum line is connected to the return line through recess 64 and. the drivers control valve is open to air at port 39 by Way of recess 65.

The gear shifting devices 'I'he immediate means for shifting the gears comprises two `slidable rods 10, 1| which may be of standard character and which can be moved by the usual shift. lever, but said lever may be taken out and laid away under a seat or otherwise disposed of so as to be available for use in case of failure of the automatic device, just as a starting crank is carried in most automobiles for use in emergency. 'Ihe-ordinary shift lever may also be left in place if desired but it is a feature of advantage in my invention that the shift. lever can be removed and put out of the way so as to leave the space at the front of the car free except for the emergency brake lever.

To the rods 10, 1|` I connect the respective rods 12 and 13. Rod` 12 (Figs. 1, 2 and 10) is attached at its rear end to a three-armed lever 14 pivoted at 15 and having one of its arms connected to a link 16 attached to the stem 11 of the ilexibie piston 18 in casing 2|. 'I'he third arm of the lever swings between a pair of depending levers 19 and 80 connected adjacent their upper ends respectively to stems of gate valves 8| and 82 such as shown in Fig. 10.

The rod 13 in like manner is connected to a three-armed lever 83 pivoted at 84 and connected by a link 95 to the stem 86 of a flexible piston in casing 22. The third arm of the lever 83 is located between two levers 81 and 88 for operating gate valves 89 and 90.

At their upper ends the levers 19, 80, 81 and 88 are reduced in Width at one side and beveled at the other and locking means is provided for each lever, whereby each one may be held in place for holding its valve open, after having been moved from the neutral position to an active position such as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. For this purpose I provide angular locking members 89, 90, 9| and 92 (Figs. 1, 16, and 17) pivoted as at 93. The members of each pair are operatively connected by a cross piece 94, 95 on one member of a pair as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, and each cross piece carries an adjustable screw 96. Each lever` 14, 83 has on its third arm a roller 91, 98 which strikes the head of the adjacent screw in moving from an active position back to neutral position and so releases the lock of an open valve to permit it to be closed by a spring, as at 99 (Fig. 10). 'I'he cross piece is attached only to one locking member oi a pair so as to permit the locking members to move independently to locking position, since only one valve need be locked open at any one time.

Lateral movement of the locking members under the partially lateral thrust of the rollers 91, 98 is prevented by guides suitably secured to a fixed part of the motor vehicle or other machine or mechanism with which my invention is used.

The `wear selector valve and associated parts The gear selector valve 26 comprises parts shown in detail in Figs. 11 to 14, including xed plates |0I, |02, held together by screws |03 at their four corners and pressed resilently against interposed circular plate valve members or disks |04, by springs |06 encircling said screws |03. 'I'he plate |04 is moved clockwise by a., spring |01 connected to an arm |00 on the plate, the spring being anchored at its other end to any convenient part and its movement is limited by a pin |09 striking a stop ||0 on rlxed plate |0|. Plate |05 is moved counterclockwise by a spring connected to an arm ||2 xed to said plate and anchored to a fixed part of the machine at its other end and its movement is limited by a pin I3 striking a stop ||4 on ixed plate |02.

The arm |08 is adapted to be connected to rod 13 by a bent link ||5 pivotally secured to arm |08 and lhaving at ||6 a notch adapted to engage a lug ||1 on said rod. In like manner, bent arm ||2 is adapted to be connected to rod 12 by means of link ||8 having a notch at ||9 adapted to engage a lug |20 on said rod. The arms |08 and ||2 are xed adjustably to a shaft |2| by set-screws |22.

Plate |0| is provided with ports |23 to |21, the

port |23 opening into pipe |28 teed into pipe |29 leading to the left side chamber of piston casing 2|. Port |24 opens into pipe |30 leading to the right side of piston casing 22. Port |26 opens into pipe |3| leading to gate valve 82, connected by pipe |32 to the left side of casing 2|. Port |25 opens into pipe |33 passing directly to the right side chamber of casing 2|. Port |21 cliigns into pipe |34 which connects with pipe At the other side of the valve, plate |02 has ports |35-|39. Two branches |40 and |4| of pipe 55 lead respectively to ports |35 and |36. Pipe 54 leads into port |31, pipe 53 to port |38, and port |39 is an air intake port.

'I'he disk |04 (Fig. 13) has ports |42-|45 and the disk |05 (Fig. 14) has ports |46|48, ports |41 and |48 being arcuate slots. The ports in the disks register with adjacent ports at both side of each disk according to the position of rotary adjustment of the disks. A bracket |48 supports the gear selector valve mechanism.

A device for controlling the interengagement of links ||5 and ||8 with the rods 12 and 13 is shown in detail in Fig. 9 (see also Figs. 1 and 2). 'I'his device comprises a piston |49 in a casing |50. A spring |5| forces the piston to- Ward the right in said gure and so tends to hold in lowered position a bent lever |52 pivoted at |53 and connected to the piston by a link |54. The bent lever at its free end extends under links ||5 and ||8 but above rods 12 and 13. A branch of pipe 53 leads into the left end of casing Other features extends from the accelerator valve to an air supply line |56 at the rear of the mechanism and line |56 is connected (1) to the right or rear chamber of piston casing 2| by pipes |51 and |58 75 9,108,964' Y l l can merely be moved to position N inthe op.

l between which gate valve v8l is interposed (2) to the iront chamber of piston casing 22 by pipes |59 and |60 tween which gate valve 89 is interposed an 22 by pipes |6| and |62 between which gate valve 90 is interposed.

Operation the remaining ports being blind, i. e. being closed by the solid portion of the stationary plate.

At this time the disks of the gear selector valve 4are so located thatport |41 is aligned with ports |36, |42 and |24 to provide a passage through this valvel which passage connects pipe .|30 and branch |4| of pipe 55.

l There is no operation of the mechanism until the driver steps on the accelerator, thereby moving the accelerator valve to operating position. As the operation of this device assimilates'itself closely to the, ordinary method of sluiting gears it will be understood t at the clutch has been thrown out manually fore touching the accelerator, as usual unless free wheeling is being used. When the accelerator valve has been moved to the On position of Fig. 5 the connections from the intake manifold will act to exhaust the air from the rear chamber of piston casing 22 through'the T coupling 5|, pipe 69, passage 66 (Fig. 5) pipe 56, ports 39, 32h, 32g and 36 of the drivers control valve to pipe 55, then to branch |4|, through ports |36, |41, |42, |24 to pipe |30 and so to the right hand chamber or rear side of piston casing 22. Due to the exhaustion of air from this side of the casing the flexible piston will be moved in the direction indicated in Fig. 10, the other side of the casing being under normal atmospheric pressure of approximate- (3) to the rear chamber of casing.

ly 15 pounds per square inch. As the piston moves in the direction indicated, it moves the three armed lever 83 clockwise about its pivot 84 and this' lever opens the gate valve 89 by striking against depending lever 81, thus admitting air from the air supply line |56 to the left hand side of the piston casing through pipes |59 and |60 to maintain the pressure at that side of the piston. Concurrently with suchoperation the arm of the lever which is connected to rod 13 moves this rod and rod 1| to the left to shift the gears toward rst forward position or low' speed position. At this time also the locking member 9| is cammed up by the bevel at the upper end of lever 81 and fallsbehind it so as to lock the lever in a position analogous to the dotted line position of lever 60, illustrated in Fig. 3,locking the gate valve 89 open.

As the operating rods 13 and 1| are moved forward the lug ||1 comes into'position under the slot |6 in link I5 and the link falls so as to connect the rod 13 operatively to link I5. The parts are now in position for shifting to second speed if desired or the indicator 43 on the quadrant erator does not desire to go to a higher speed.-

When the parts are in neutral position the ports of the drivers control valve register as followsz. v

' 32h with'34 32o with 35 32d with 36 32f with 31 32h. with 88 32g' with 40,

' while the remaining ports are blind.

The low pressure at the4 right in casing 22 is now relieved by air entering port 61 of the accelerator valve and passing via recess 65 to pipe 56, then to ports 3 9, through a passage 33 to port 40and through port 32j to pipe 51 and so l to the casing.

To shift into second gear from first or low gear, it is only necessary for the driver to throw out the clutch again and step on the accelerator and he needmot go into neutral. The link ||5 being now hooked to rod 13, the gear selector valve disk |04 will be moved about its pivot during the return movement of rod 13 to shift the gears out of first position. For this purpose the driver throws out the clutch and takes his footvoff the accelerator. The accelerator valve goes to Off position (Fig. 5a) connecting air supply pipe |56 to the intake manifold through pipe 68, chamber 64 and pipe 69 so as to withdraw air from supply pipe |56 and permit the piston in casing 22 to return quickly to normal position. As the pis-v ton moves back to the middle position, the rod 13 is moved to the right and the roller 98 on lever 63 unlocks the lever 9|, permitting the gate.

valve 69 toclose.

Movement of rod 13 to the right in Fig. 2 brings disk |04 into a position where port |42 registers with ports |35, |46 and |23 andl upon again pushing down the accelerator rod the suction of the intake manifold will act through coupling 5| pipe 69, passage 66 (Fig. 5) pipe 56, ports 39, 32h, 32g and 38 of the drivers control valve, pipe 55, branch |46, ports |42, |35, |46 and |23 and pipe |29 to exhaust the air in the left-hand chamber of piston casing 2|, whereby the flexible piston will act through three-armed lever 14 to move rods 12 and 10 to the right to shift to second, such operation also opening gate valve 8| and locking it, all in like manner as above described for low gear. This movement of rod 12 places it in a position where its lug |20 can engage notch 9 in link ||8, preliminary to shifting to third gear, and the link ||8 being free to move downward such engagement now takes place. At this time both links l|5 and ||8 are clutched to the respective rods 13 and 12. To go into third gear the driver first throws out the clutch and releases the accelerator, upon which the piston 18 (Fig. l0) is returned to its normal `position as above described in connection with shifting vto second gear, so that the shift rods 12 and 16 are operated to take the gears out of second speed position. Such movement brings the disk |05 into a position where the the flexible piston moves to the right and swingslever 14 counterclockwise, thereby drawing rods the pipe Isl rhrougifpi 12 and 10 to the left to shift to third gear, such movement also opening gate valve 82 and locking it open by means of locking element 90 to connect the left hand chamber of casing 2| to |32. The'air chamber just referred to is not connected to the air supply pipe |56 but the return movement of rod 12 and link l I8 has brought into alignment ports |39, |48, |45 and |21 of the respective members |31, and |0| of the gear selectorvvalve. The port |39 is open to atmosphere and it furnishes additional air when the gears are coming out of second and going into high, which air passes through the aligned ports andfthrough pipes |34 and |29 to the left hand chamber of the casing 2| to force the piston over as the air is exhausted from the other side. Air is furnished by the other lines to bring the gears out of second and this line furnishes additional air for moving into third speed in a continuous operation. 'Ihe port |48 is formed as a slot so as not to interrupt the continuity of its registry with port |45 in the continuous operation of shifting out of second and into third or high gear. The accelerator is not operated at this time as the car is driven normally in high gear and a continuous vacuum is desired. To maintain this continuous vacuum pipe 54 is connected as above stated.

To shift out of high gear the clutch is thrown out and the indicator or the quadrant is set at neutral N. Thev suction now acts through pipes 53 and |55 on piston |49, tilting lever |52 and raising links H5 and ||8 out of engagement with rods 12 and 13. The springs |01 and swing the disks |04 and |05 back until stopped by engagement of pin |09 with stop ||0 and pin ||3 with stop |4 respectively. uch movement places ports |38, |48, |44 and |26 of the gear selector valve in alignment and, as port |26 leads to a pipe |3|, the suction from the manifold can now be exerted through pipes 53, |3| and |32 to the left chamber of casing 2| to reverse the movement of lever. 14 and connected parts.

For reverse gear the indicator 4| is moved to R and this causes the parts in the drivers control valve to register as follows:

32C with 34 32d With 35 32 With 36 327- With 39 32k with 40 The other ports are blind. The driver now throws out the clutch and depresses the accelerator rod to move the accelerator valve to On position,

whereupon the suction from the manifold acts' through coupling 5|, pipes 69, and 56, ports 39, 327', a passage 33, ports 32k and 40 and pipe 51 to reduce the pressure at the left of casing 22, whereupon the piston moves the lever 84 counterclockwise and draws the rods 13 and 1| rearward, also opening valve 90 and locking it open by element 92. To go out of reverse the indicator 43 is moved to neutral, as explained above.

It may be noted that pipe 55 acts as a vacuum line in both first and second gear operationsl second and reverse to neutral. Air intakes 8| and |39 supply the air used in passing from second to third; intake 8| serves in going from second to neutral and intake |39 in carrying on from this point in neutral to high.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in my device without departing from the spirit oi the invention, therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown -in the drawings or described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I.claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a mechanism having an internal combustion engine, an intake manifold therefor and change-speed gearing, the combination of gearshifting devices, means whereby the character of the gear change may be predetermined, means operated by le suction of the intake manifold for actuating the gear-shifting devices, said means including sliding .transmission rods, pistons connected to said rods for moving them in opposite senses to produce different speeds, casings for said pistons, connections from said manifold to said casings for causing suction effects at opposite sides of the pistons, pipes for admitting air to that side of the'piston where suction is not being exerted, valves in said pipes, and means for normally locking a valve positively in open position during the operation of a corresponding piston.

2. A device as in claim 1, including means operated automatically during return movement of such a piston for unlocking said locking means. I

3. In a device of the character described, a

drivers control valve, a gear selector valve, gear shifting rods, pneumatic means for actuating said gear shifting rods, pipes connecting the abovenamed devices to each other and to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, means for setting the drivers control valve to predetermine the rod to be shifted and the direction of its movement, manual means controlling the connection between the intake manifold and the remaining parts of the combination, links adapted to be connected to the respective shifting rods, connections from said links to the gear selector valve for altering the relation of the parts therein with reference to the pipes connected thereto, and means operated through the drivers control valve for controlling the relation of said links to said shifting rods. 4. In a pnemnatic gear shift, a pair of shifter rods, flexible pistons operatively connected to the respective rods, casings for said pistons providing air chambers at opposite sides of each piston, each piston having its peripheral edge secured to its casing to seal said air chambers, manually controlled means for connecting said chambers selectively to an intake manifold for creating a vacuum therein, and automatic means for admitting air to the opposed chamber when a vacuum is created in any chamber.

5. A device as in claim 4, including manually operable setting means for predetermining the gear-shifting operation, and connections to a foot-operated accelerator rod for controlling the connection to the intake manifold.

6. A device as in claim 4, including air passages leading to said chambers, valves in said passages, and automatic means for positively locking open the passages so admitting air to said chambers.

7. In a pnuematic gear shift, a pair of gear shifting rods, a piston for each rod, a casing for each piston providing anair chamber at each side of. its piston, means for connecting a chamber to a source of suction including a gear selector valve, a link adapted to be automatically connected to a shifting rod at one end of its movement but normally disconnected therefrom, and means operated by said rod through said link for altering the relation of ports and passages in said gear selector valve upon return movement of said rod. n

8. In a pneumatic gear shift, a shifting rod, a piston connected thereto, a casing providing a chamber at each side of the piston, means for exerting suction at one side of the piston, means operated by said piston for admitting air to the l other` side, and means for locking open the air passage to said side when the shifting operation is completed.

9. A device as in claim 8, including means operated by the piston for unlocking said locking means upon a reverse operation of the piston.

10. In a pneumatic gear shift, a shifting rod, a piston connected thereto, a casing providing a chamber at each side of the piston, means for exerting suction at either side of the piston selectively for shifting said rod in either direction, means for admitting air to the other side of the piston, means for locking open the passage that admits air, and` common means operated by the piston for unlocking the locks for both thev air passages leading to opposite sides of the piston.

11. In a change speed gearing, a set of gears, pneumatic gear shifting means including pistons connected to the gears of said set, cylinders for said pistons, a source of suction, pipes connecting said source of suction to opposite ends of said cylinders, means for admitting air to said cylinders, a steering post, a drivers control valve comprising oscillatory plates in face contact with each other, means for adjusting said plates to predetermine the operation of the gear'. shifting means, and manual means for controlling the connection between said pistons and the source of 1suction independently of said drivers control va ve.

12. In a pneumatic gear shift, a pair of shifter rods, pistons connected to the respective rods, casings for said pistons providing chambers at opposite sides of each piston, manually controlled means for connecting said chambers selectively to a source of suction, automatic means for admitting air to the opposite chamber when a vacuum is created in any chamber said means -including passages leading to such chambers, valves in said passages, means operated by the initial movement of a piston for opening the valve in a passage leading to the related chamber, and means for locking said valve in open position.

13. A device as in claim 12, said valve opening means including a lever connected to the piston and to the corresponding gear shift rod.

14. A device asin claim 12, said valve opening means including a lever connected to the piston and to the corresponding gear shift rod. and a levereconnected at one end to said valve in position to be actuated by said first-named lever.

15. A device as in claim 12, said valve opening means including a lever connected to the piston and to the corresponding gear shift rod, a lever connected at one end to said valve in position to be actuated by said first-named lever, said second-named lever standing in a vertical position and having a cam edge at its upper end, and a pivoted detent positioned to be raised by said cam edge and then to fall behind said lever to lock its valve open.

16. A device as in claim 12, said valve opening means including a lever connected to the 'piston and to the corresponding gear shift rod, a lever connected at one end to said valve in positlon to be actuated by said first-named lever, said second-named lever standing in a vertical position and having a cam edge at'its upper end, a pivoted detent positioned to be raised by said cam edge and then to fall behind said lever to lock its valve open, said ilrst-named lever ern-'- bodying means for subsequently releasing said detent.' l

JAMES A. MCDANIEL. 

